Bajan Dialect - NEWS IN BRIEF

One man shot, two policemen injured
Police were summoned to Blades Hill#3 in response to a Three Houses Hill man's eractic behaviour. This resulted in one policeman being stabbed in the shoulder. Support was called in and the scene shifted to Three Houses Hill where one police was struck with a bottle and the man shot in the lower back. (April 2023)

The Old St. Mark's Boys School was demolished in November 2022. The Old School had also served as a Community Centre and held many memories for the residents of that area.

BAYFIELD FISHERMAN LOST AT SEA

A well-loved fisherman who comes from a family of fisherfolk has gone missing at sea.

The family of Leslie “Polladoa” Clarke was still trying to come to grips yesterday with the horrifying news of his disappearance while at sea.

Police communications and public affairs officer, Inspector Rodney Inniss, told the Midweek Nation that police had received a report and were investigating Clarke’s disappearance.

He said Clarke and his brother, Livingstone, went out on a fishing boat on August 6. The brother sailed back into Barbados on Monday and reported to the coast guard that Clarke started acting strangely. He went to sleep and when he awoke his brother was nowhere to be found. (MB, Nation News - August 10)

Barbados has recorded another road fatality.

Police are continuing their investigation into a serious accident which has resulted in the death of a 37-year-old St. John man.

He is Adrian Goddard of College Savannah, St John.

Goddard was the driver of a motorcar which was involved in a collision with another motor car being driven by Ron Brathwaite 29-years, of Charnocks, Christ Church.

This collision occurred around 11:59 pm on Tuesday, January 24th, along Woodbourne Road, St Philip.

Both Goddard and Brathwaite were rushed to the QEH by ambulance with head injuries, with Goddard being the most serious.

Brathwaite was later treated and discharged. Goddard succumbed to his injuries sometime after 3:00 pm on Tuesday, January 31st.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this accident to contact the District ‘C’ Police Station at telephone 4168200 or 4168201.

Blades Hll man among Four injured in collision

Four people were injured in an early morning accident at Pinder’s Bottom, St George. Roseann Griffith, 49, of Brereton, St Philip, had to be freed with the Jaws of Life when her motorcar and another driven by Kadeem Stoute, 20, collided around 5 a.m.

Griffith who was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) suffered a fractured left leg and right arm as well as neck injuries while Stoute of Blades Hill, St Philip received an injury to his left hip. Stoute’s two male passengers, suffered injuries to the head and neck. One of the men also sustained a broken arm. All were taken to the hospital by ambulance for treatment. (Stoute is the grandson of Glenda Sargeant- Beckles)
4 DEAD
Four girls in their twenties are dead after the car in which they were travelling overturned near Ilaro Court in St. Michael around 3.30 this morning. A fifth girl is in critical condition in hospital.(Sunday 24 Oct. 2015)

UPDATE ON MARIJUANA RAID:
Police have confirmed that 18,100 marijuana plants were seized in a raid that stretched from Sealy Hall bottom in St. John to Conset in College Savannah. It was described as a massive operation.

MARIJUANA RAID
A massive drug seizure at Fortesque, St.Philip/Seay Hall, St. John on Wednesday, 30th September:Word on the street is that police swooped down on a marijuana FARM and spent sometime freighting away many plants, drums and hoses; some say it could be as many as 1000 plants. Seems as though it was a large operation.

BlADES HILL ACTION UPDATE
A teenaged man is set to appear in court tomorrow to answer four drug charges.Neco Adisa Asan Pinder, 19, of College Land, St. John will appear at the District ‘C’ Magistrates Court to answer the charges of possession of cannabis, possession with intent to supply, trafficking and cultivation of cannabis.

He was arrested on Friday, after police on patrol investigating suspicious activity at Blades Hill encountered Pinder and seized 94 lbs of cannabis plants. Some of the plants were found under cultivation in an enclosure and some were found drying in a structure.

Nuff Action in Blades Hill
Wednesday night, 12th August, a burglar broke into Bandy's shop next to the St. Mark's Primary School. When a check was carried out it was found that a number of coins were taken. A call was quickly made to another shopkeeper alerting of this and asking that an eye be kept for anyone trying to change coins. The shopkeeper then informed that someone of dubious character had already done so. This was drawn to the attention of the police who quickly went in search of the suspect.
While looking for the suspect the police walked by a house in Blades Hill #2 and were reportedly met with the strong odour of marijuana. They then diverted their attention to the house and were later seen removing a number of tall marijuana plants. A youngster, not the owner of the house, was taken away in handcuffs. The owner was not at home at the time of the incident.

Submachine Gun found

A WOMAN IS expected to appear in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court today charged with illegal possession of a submachine gun and unlawful possession of a quantity of ammunition. She is 26-year-old Shakira Nikita Mascoll of Ashby Alley, Nelson Street, St Michael. According to police, the firearm and ammunition were discovered when a search warrant was executed at her residence on Monday. (PR/NB ; NATION) (13August, 2015)
Imagine, only two days ago Minister Dennis Kellman likened gun crimes in Barbados to throwing big rock and fighting with sticks. out? It was not my sheep nor was it the Sabbath but I did it anyway.

BODY FOUND

The body of Vincent Layne was found in a car near Bushy Park Cemetery. Vincent Layne lived at Farm Road, St. Philip; close to Six Roads.He was the farmer whose two sons drowned in a pond on the farm some years ago. He was a regular caller to the call-in programme, Brass Tacks.
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SHOOTING UPDATE
It has beeen confirmed that there was gun play at Fortesque. Reports are that it was like the wild, wild west in the early hours of the morning. At the end of the exchange during which over twenty shots were fired, JB ws shot in the leg and an 18 year old not from the district was shot in the face and the back. JB was treated at the hospital and discharged while the youngster under went surgery and is still hospitalized.(July 2015)

SHOOTING AT FORTESQUE

There was a shooting at Fortesque in the early hours of Sunday morning. Apparently JB Barrow, son of Frank Barrow, was shot in the leg while on his way home from a fete at Mamee's Pot and Bar. No other information is available at this time.
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UNBELIEVABLE! FRIGGING UNBELIEVABLE: 1:10 P.M; JULY;SUMMER VACATION ; not one single swimsuit or bathing trunk was to be seen at MIAMI BEACH; not a beach chair; not a white skin sun-tanning on the beach. The area usually populated by local black bodies frolicking merrily is instead covered by a brown sinister looking sargassum seed weed about 25 yards out to sea. The only sign of life, a few birds walking across what now looks like a solid land mass. The sand is completely cove...red and made to look worse by the effects of the heavy duty equipment that lost the battle some time earlier. The eastern side which is usually populated by tourists is just as bad. You have got to see this to believe it. The pictures on facebook do not reflect the reality of Miami Beach. For the time being Miami Beach is no more. The vendors are still there hoping to get a sale from unsuspecting persons who turn away in disbelief.
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THIS IS WHAT THE SEA IN BARBADOS NOW LOOKS LIKE. WISH I
COULD SHARE THE SMELL.

NEAR DISASTER AT SEA

Six or seven young people from the St. Mark's community almost lost
their lives at sea on Sunday around 1.45 a.m. The six or seven youngster
were partying on board a catamaran when it capsized off the Bridgetown
Harbour. The boat had experienced difficulties and was being towed by the coast Guard
when it went down, tossing all 30 plus on board into the sea. All of the party animals and crew were rescued.

Consett Bay Drug Bust.(Update)
Police intercepted a boat carrying 500 pounds of marijuana
at Consett Bay on Sunday Night 12, April, 2015. The boat was seized
and a local fisherman, 49 year old Carlisle Miller was apprehended a
nd charged. Miller is formerly from St. George.
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Man Shot
David Cossey, owner of the Six Roads Gas station, was held at gun
point for about two hours before he took the bandits to the gas station
at Six Roads. His workers shut themselves in the station before
handing over the money after the men shot Cossey in the foot.
The workers were terrified by the encounter. It is said that the men
spoke with a foreign accent.
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And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep,
and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it

Sea weed horror in Bim

OVER 5 FEET AT FOUL BAY

This is Skeete's Bay, Bayfield, St. Philip

Caught Red-handed!!!
Blades Hill #2 was once again the place of action. It is
alleged that a young man who has been finding
himself in a lot of trouble recently, was liming at a
shop when the shopkeeper's wife noticed that money was missing
from her purse. She confronted the man who denied
knowing anything about the money. However, the owner
came home and also confronted him. Again he denied knowing anything about the money. It is reported that
the owner closed up the shop with the man in it and
called the police. The police came, searche and apparently found the money on him. He was taken away
by the police.
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Former Blades Hill Teen Remanded to Dodds
Two young men jointly charged with causing serious bodily harm were yesterday (Friday 13 March, 2015) remanded to HMP Dodds for a month. Chad Robinson 17, and Ashaye Prescod,16, both of Bartletts Tenantry, Sargeant's Village, Christ Church were charged in a matter in which the complainant's skull was fractured in seven places. The complainant is 16 years old. Chad Robinson is the grandson of Clyde "Volley" Brathwaite and lived in Blades Hill for many years.

Cricket Scare
Barbadian opening batsman, Omar Phillips, was knocked unconscious on Friday (5th November) while playing against the Windward Islands, in St. Vincent at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex.Phillips at the time, was the non-striker when a ball struck by his partner, Shai Hope, ricocheted off his bat and smashed into his helmet. He fell to the ground unconscious. Phillips was taken to the hospital where he later regained consciousness. A CT scan showed no damage.This comes on the heel of the death of an Australian batsman and an Israeli umpire from being struck during separate games.

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Road Tennis in Barbados

Road tennis is finally making it big in Barbados. The game that we played in the tar road 50 - 60 years ago is now attracting national attention. The courts are well marked out and painted; the players well dressed and yes, prize money is at stake. The last competition paid $12000.00 dollars to the winner. The crowds are bigger than at test cricket and the games are attracting television coverage. Things are really looking up for our indigenous game.
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Bajan women dressing real badly!
Much has been said about the despicable style of dress adopted by our young men who wear their trousers way down on their buttocks.I, too, cannot stand the sight of the often dingy boxers or
briefs which are visible for all to see. However, it is time that something is said about the appearance of our females.

Years ago the sight of brassiere straps was definitely unacceptable. Nowadays our women, young and not so young, are walking around in public with all colour brassiere straps clearly visible. Sometimes one has to wonder if they are playing x and o’s, with brassiere straps crisscrossing the straps of the blouse they are wearing. Nothing is more disgusting than the sight of a woman in public, wearing a cold shoulder or back-out dress with a strapped brassiere. They are appearing like this at church, at funerals, even weddings
and all through Town.

No woman should be allowed to leave home looking so ridiculous. Doesn’t anybody tell these women how horrible they look? To be honest these women look just as horrible as the men who walk around with their underwear showing.

E. Jerome Davis

Bajan Accent under threat!

The good old Bajan accent may soon become a thing of the past. A new accent that is creeping in among the Bajan middle class. Wherever you go these days you can hear expressions such as ‘yas’ for yes, ‘I gas so’ for ‘I guess so’, ‘I am blassed’ for ‘I am blessed’, ‘axpras’ for ‘express’, ‘ the bast of the bast’ for ‘the best of the best’ and ‘9.30 p. am’ for ‘9-30 p. m’. Gradually this grouping is replacing every possible ‘e’ with the letter ‘a’. These expressions are accompanied by a new sing-song intonation to boot.

At the other end of the scale, the young generation is also making the change but at a
different level. In this grouping a horse is now a ‘harse’, second form is ‘second farm’ and Jordan’s Supermarket is ‘Jardan’s Supermarket’. This change is highlighted on page 73 of the book “From Bajan to Standard English” and was raised by Mavis Beckles in her Saturday Sun column.

E. Jerome Davis

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Accident

Ivor 'Tom Browne' Brathwaite narrowly escaped serious injury when he was involved in an accident at the Sanford/King's Park corner on Saturday 1st February
. The vehicle he was driving was extensively damaged.
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Fire hits Blades Hill restaurant owner
The well known Frankie's Bar which is situated opposite the Airport was gutted by fire last night (Wednesday, 8th Jan. 2014) The popular retaurant was owned by Frank Barrow of Blades Hill #2, St. Philip but was on lease for the past three years.
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Apparent Hit-and-Run
Residents of Blades Hill awoke New Years day to find police at the scene of an apparent hit-and-run in Blades Hill #2. Carson Blenman, a man in his forties, was found around 5 a.m, lying in a pool of blood in front of "Goddard House', just a few yards from the Laurie Knights' junction. The road was cordoned off as police spent hours collecting information. Bleman who hails from Sargeant's Street, St. John was rushed to the hospital suffering from lacerations and bruises. (Jan 2014)Blades Hill #2

The body was found near the blue garbage bin but was apparently dragged from past the mahogany tree to that location.
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The St. Mark's community experienced a quiet and uneventful Xmas. Rain fell for most of the day, keeping most people in-doors. With economic uncertainty facing the country for the new year, most persons were cautious with their spending and there was hardly any fanfare as the season slipped quietly by.
There was report of a fire at a Three House Hill apartment a few days before Xmas. There was much speculation about the cause of the fire. (Dec. 2013)
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Assault and attempted Robbery
Proprietor of the Feed Depot in Blades Hill #2, Kenneth 'Bob' Clarke was attacked on Saturday 7th December as a bandit tried to rob him. It is reported that Bob was enticed out of his house so that the attempted robber could pounce on him. In the attack, Bob was struck in the head and on his arm with a gun. It is said that the gun was rusty. Neighbours heard Bob screaming for murder and rushed out in time to see the man on top of him on the ground. Shouts of one neighbour scared off the attacker. This is the third time that Bob was put through such an ordeal.
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MAN HANGS SELF
Blades Hill woke up this morning July 4th, to the grim news that one of its residents was dead. Dead was Jefferson HArewood who hanged himself apparently. Jefferson was found by his mother Sandra HArewood with whom he lived. Jefferson's two primary school aged children also lived at the house which is situated about 75 yards from St. MArk's Primary School. At present one can only speculate about the reason for this twist of fate.

Train Up the Child
My long awaited book, Train Up the Child, is only days away from publication. It will be on Amazon. I look forward to the support of all when it hits the stores.
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Arson at Volley's
An attempt was made to burn down Volley's Supermarket over the weekend. The fire was set from the back of the supermarket as someone apparently threw a combustible substance through an open louvre. Luckily the fire wsa contained to a confined room and did not spread beyond to the rest of the supermarket. The alarm was raised about 11 p.m. as smoke was seen billowing from the store. Fire officers and the poice responded. (March 2013)
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Three of Volley's sheep were stolen from their pen on Monday night 25th Feb. 2013. However, they werer recovered not far away to the east side of Three Houses Hill in a neibour's pen. Other missing sheep were also found there.Talking bout sheepish behaviour!!
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Serious Accident: Ronald Greenidge of Blades Hill was involved in a serious accident Sunday 17th.June when the van he was driving ran off the road and smashed into a tree at the corner of Palmers and Supers roads. He was heading in the direction of Sealy Hall.He was taken to the Hospital with injuries to the head and remains in ICU.

Two Blades Hill Men among five charged with several crimes including aggravated robbery, kidnapping and possession of a firearm. RandyBrathwaite of #1 and Junior Taitt alias PP of #2 were charged yesterday June 8th. 2012. A young man from Wiltshires was charged with robbing Kenneth"Bob" Clarke earlier this year.
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Blades Hill Man on $5000.00 Bail
Colvin Orlando Gittens, age 40, of Blades Hill #2 was released on $5000.00 bail after appearing in court to answer charges of possession of marijuana, cultivation; intent to traffic; and assaulting police officers. (June 30, 2011)

Aunty Olga is dead @ age 92.

Dame Olga Lopes-Seale died early this morning at the QEH. Everyone can remember Aunty Olga on Rediffusion with her children's party. She will be remembered too for all the charity work she did in Barbados. May she rest in peace. (Feb 4th, 2011)
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Rihanna Reigns in 2010
Rihanna boasts in her hit song “Hard”, that “That Rihanna reign just won’t let up” and in 2010 she makes good of her boast. The following are some of her major achievements for 2010.

February – She wins two Grammy Awards – Best Rap Collaboration and Best Rap Song (Run dis Town).

March – Rihanna becomes the first female of the decade to chart six #1’s (Rude Boy) on the Billboard Hot 100

August – She scores her seventh #1 (Love the Way You Lie). She also sets a record with this hit on Youtube – 6.6 million hits in twenty-four hours.

November – Rihanna lands her eighth #1 (What’s My Name). This places her 5^th among females in the Hot 100’s 52 year history, behind Mariah Carey (18); Madonna (12); Whitney Houston (11) and Janet Jackson (10). She sits at number 10 overall.

“What’s My Name” lands at #1 on Digital Songs Chart – her 9^th number one on this chart, the highest number since the chart began.

Rihanna wins the American Music Award 2010, Favourite Soul/Rhythm and Blues Female Artiste of the Year award, beating Alicia Keys and Sade. (Her 78^th Award)

Rihanna scores big with “Only Girl in the World” - her ninth #1. This hit was #1 in over ten countries. This gives her the most #1’s for the new millennium.

Rihanna becomes the first female artist ever to hit the top spot four times in a calendar year.The last artist, male or female, to achieve this feat was Usher in 2004.

November 22 – Rihanna is proclaimed the “Undisputed Queen of Pop”, landing the most #1 pop songs ever on this chart (7) – surpassing Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey and Beyonce.

December – Rihanna is named the Queen of the Social Media as she lands at #1 in a new chart, “Social 50”, released by Billboard.

Rihanna creates history in the U.K. She becomes the first female in over 50 years tohave three songs in the top ten at the same time (Only Girl, What’s My Name and Who’s that Chick). This was previously achieved by Vera Lynn in 1952.

“Loud”, Rihanna’s 5^th Album climbs, to #1 in the U.K, Canada and on the World Charts with sales of over 2.2 million in six weeks.

What a year for the little girl from Barbados

THE NEW PRIME MINISTER OF BARBADOS, HON. FREUNDEL JEROME STUART

Barbados' new Prime Minister Freundel Stuart is from Marchfield, St. Philip. He attended St.Mark's Primary School, Blades Hill, St. Philip. He still comes to Blades Hill to get his hair cut by William "Wills" Weekes.
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Reports reaching this site reveal that a College Savannah woman collapsed and died on the College Savannah / Oistins bus this morning( 4th October). She apparently lived on the bay hill. She is the third person from the bay hill to die suddenly in recent months. More details as information comes to hand.

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Man Arrested for murder of Canadian Visitor:
The man, Curtis Joel Foster, arrested for the murder of the Canadian visitor is said to be from Bayfiled, St. Philip. However, my investigations reveal that he is really from Eden Lodge, St. Michael. He may have been staying in Bayfield but he is not a St. Philip man.(2009)
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Sewage Water Woes in Blades Hill: The residents of 2nd Avenue Blades Hill are extremely frustrated about the wastewater problem that has been plaguing their community for over a year. The HEAT visited the area to see first hand what the residents have been experiencing.
Rawle Mapp explained that the wastewater has been running from the neighbour's house and has affected all th surrounding neighbours.....he called the inspectors several times but they seemed reluctant to deal with the problem. .. HEAT was told that with the help from the Urban Development, a new well was dug. However it was left up to the residents of the house to buy a sewage pipe to connect to the new well and the wastewater woes would be no longer be a problem.......Eldica Wiltshire, an elderly woman who is one of the residents of th the house in question, stated that she does not work and only depends on her children and she is aware of how bad the problem is and ask for assistance to have this problem rectified as soon as possible. (The HEAT)

October 27th
Top Award for Arthur: Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur was honoured yesterday with the Barbados Labour Party's highest Award - the Grantley Adams Award.

Mottley: Stealth tax: Leader of the Opposition, Mia Mottley, yesterday denounced the "massive rise' in land tax bills as an unannounced "stealth tax". Landowners have seen steep hikes in their bills - doubled in some cases......(Also) Mottley pointed out that in January when crude oil was $104 per barrel, Barbadians were paying $2.16 per litre for gas and $1.46 for diesel but now with oil at $64 per barrel, they were paying $2.25 for gas and $2.18 for diesel.

Rehab centre for students soon:(Barbados); Plans are afoot to establish a new rehabilitative facility for disruptive students. According to Minister of Education , Ronald Jones,"The institution will house from 100 to 150 students in an environment specifically designed to bring about a transformation in children who thrive on being disruptive".

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St. Philip Festival going National: Organisers of the St. Philip Festival Season are looking to make it an event with national appeal. According to a spokesperson, a number of innovations will be in place for the season that opens October 1 and climaxes with the carnival on December 1.
The festival will be officially opened October 11 at Rices Playing Field at 5 p.m. following a motorcade at 11a.m.
New features for the season include a soca lime and craft fair at Bayleys, St. Philip in November and selected weekends and at the end of the big jump-up on Carnival Day at King's Park, revellers will be cooled down with live performances from some of the major names in local entertainment.The festival has attracted three bands from outside of St. Philip.